Aurora Borealis Tonight- Go Outside

[cpfakf]

Eastern Iowa had a great view!

[aprilsails]

My Mom sent the most amazing pictures imaginable from the cottage. I went outside but I live south of the city in a built up area and I could just see a faint discoloration.

Jealous of everyone who got a gorgeous view!

My Mom is tickled pink. She spent a week in Iceland last year trying to see the Northern Lights and it never panned out. I saw them often when I sailed but it's been a couple of decades.

[midwestmama]

Around 10:15 pm, I was able to see bright pinks and greens in the greater Grand Rapids, MI area. I was able to see the colors with the naked eye, but colors were more vibrant in the pictures I took. I wish we could get to our land up north during one of these events, as it is in the country and I'm sure the colors would be even more vibrant.

[expectantsteelerfan]

My kids came and got me out of bed at 10:30 because my ds noticed they were visible when he was going up to bed, so we did get to see them!
It was kinda funny, my sensitive DD was worried I'd be mad that 1. ds woke her up since she goes to bed early, and 2. that he was waking me up, but she was like, I knew how much you wanted to see them and didn't want you to miss it. I was very glad they did wake me up!

[litebright]

We could definitely see the aurora in northern Virginia! We got some decent pics, but you could also see a very faint pinkish wash in the sky with the naked eye. My kids LOVED it, we walked the dog in the dark and kept stopping to take pictures.

It was way stronger than the other storms this year, for sure.

[Roc A Bee]

We saw them from the plane! The tracker said we were over Iowa at the time. Everyone was sharing the window and taking pictures.

Then the flight attendant brought us the pilot’s phone and those pictures were amazing!

[underwaterrhymes]

Oct 11, 2024 8:12:30 GMT -5 Roc A Bee said:

We saw them from the plane! The tracker said we were over Iowa at the time. Everyone was sharing the window and taking pictures.

Then the flight attendant brought us the pilot’s phone and those pictures were amazing!

Yay! I am so glad!

[candreco]

Oct 11, 2024 7:56:18 GMT -5 litebright said:

We could definitely see the aurora in northern Virginia! We got some decent pics, but you could also see a very faint pinkish wash in the sky with the naked eye. My kids LOVED it, we walked the dog in the dark and kept stopping to take pictures.

It was way stronger than the other storms this year, for sure.

What part of NoVA? I'm south Ffx county, thinking I might load the kids up and drive somewhere darker tonight if it looks like it might be another good night for it. I am wondering if we couldn't see because my neighborhood is so dang bright.

[underwaterrhymes]

Oct 11, 2024 9:07:21 GMT -5 candreco said:

Oct 11, 2024 7:56:18 GMT -5 litebright said:

We could definitely see the aurora in northern Virginia! We got some decent pics, but you could also see a very faint pinkish wash in the sky with the naked eye. My kids LOVED it, we walked the dog in the dark and kept stopping to take pictures.

It was way stronger than the other storms this year, for sure.

What part of NoVA? I'm south Ffx county, thinking I might load the kids up and drive somewhere darker tonight if it looks like it might be another good night for it. I am wondering if we couldn't see because my neighborhood is so dang bright.

You have to manage expectations and have a lot of patience.

If a substorm isn’t currently happening, you will likely need to go someplace dark and look for a white film in the sky. When you point your camera at it, you will see more color.

But, if there is a substorm, you can see it even if there is some light pollution. The substorms happen unexpectedly- there is no way to predict when they occur, so you have to be committed to sitting around and waiting. These you can actually see better with the naked eye, but they’re still going to show up better on camera. I recommend joining an Aurora FB group in your area and watching what people are posting. They’ll let you know where they’re watching, as well as when the substorms are starting.

[styme46]

I could only see a little bit of pink without my camera, but I got a ton of amazing pictures!

[timorousbeastie]

I was able to watch it from my backyard. I could see the pink with my eyes, and was able to get some good pictures of all the colors. I wanted to stay out watching it change for a while, but I heard a deer in my yard hiss repeatedly. I’ve only ever heard them do that when they see a coyote, so I chickened out and ran back inside. 

[litebright]

Oct 11, 2024 9:07:21 GMT -5 candreco said:

Oct 11, 2024 7:56:18 GMT -5 litebright said:

We could definitely see the aurora in northern Virginia! We got some decent pics, but you could also see a very faint pinkish wash in the sky with the naked eye. My kids LOVED it, we walked the dog in the dark and kept stopping to take pictures.

It was way stronger than the other storms this year, for sure.

What part of NoVA? I'm south Ffx county, thinking I might load the kids up and drive somewhere darker tonight if it looks like it might be another good night for it. I am wondering if we couldn't see because my neighborhood is so dang bright.

I'm out in western Loudoun, past Leesburg. So pretty rural and not much light pollution, and mostly open skies so we got some good views.

[Bad Dingo]

DD and I went out around 7:30 last night and the skies were NUTS (in CT) even when we were in areas with a lot of light pollution. We camped out for about an hour at an old abandoned golf course with our piles of blankets, it was magical.

[picksthemusic]

It was too cloudy for us where we were last night. At least we got a spectacular show in the spring!

[minzy]

My sister flew SFO-PIT last night and the pilot did a 360 so both sides of the plane could see. She said they were somewhere over North Dakota at the time.

I did not see them last night but fingers crossed for tonight.

[lostrn]

Oct 11, 2024 9:07:21 GMT -5 candreco said:

Oct 11, 2024 7:56:18 GMT -5 litebright said:

We could definitely see the aurora in northern Virginia! We got some decent pics, but you could also see a very faint pinkish wash in the sky with the naked eye. My kids LOVED it, we walked the dog in the dark and kept stopping to take pictures.

It was way stronger than the other storms this year, for sure.

What part of NoVA? I'm south Ffx county, thinking I might load the kids up and drive somewhere darker tonight if it looks like it might be another good night for it. I am wondering if we couldn't see because my neighborhood is so dang bright.

Capital Weather Gang said they wouldn't be visible tonight:( I was able to catch a couple pictures with my phone in Reston around 9:15ish yesterday but I couldn't see anything without the camera.